When does it stop being constructive and become just being given orders of what to do?

[markdavid]

Had a rehearsal yesterday with my band and we were playing a well known Bowie song and I came into the rehearsal 
with a specific idea of how i am going to play the song, and with a very melodic bass part for the song, anyway our 
singer/guitarist before I have even started playing the songstarts to tell me a fill that I should add in to the song at a specific 
point in the song.  

I decide to listen to his suggestion, he then starts telling me what frets I should be using to 
do the fill to make it easier,fair enough so I run through it to appease him as he is so determined that I need to 
play this fill. Anyway I quickly realise not only was my original idea better but that the fill that he wanted would clash with
my idea so as soon as we start playing the song I reverted back to my original idea. 

I am not against other people giving input in a band situation and if they do and there idea is good then I will take it on board and use there idea and
have done a number of times in my current band but I am also a big believer that sometimes  you have to let band members use there own judgement and taste 
on what fits a song. Anyhow this prompted the question when does it stop being constructive and become just being given orders of what to do?
 

[Newfoundfreedom]

The only real answer to that is personal perception. 

If you feel like it's no longer constructive, then it isn't. 

[chris_b]

I'll accept and listen to suggestions. Even, "This is how I it goes", on some original songs, but specific frets? Maybe he'd like to suggest the order in which your fingers should be operated? Maybe how to cut your nails?

Pushback definitely required.

[BreadBin]

If my bandmates started telling me which frets to use I'd be taking my bass off and handing it to them with the suggestion that maybe they should play it instead!

[Newfoundfreedom]

2 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

If my bandmates started telling me which frets to use I'd be taking my bass off and handing it to them with the suggestion that maybe they should play it instead!

Mine wouldn't be able to reach far enough up their own ar535 to play suggested frets. 

[cetera]

You're playing a cover. Play it like the original and add your OWN suitable flourishes if they work and your band situation (i.e. not a note for note tribute) allows for it.

Ignore the guitard.... or tell him what YOU want HIM to play in other songs. You'll soon see how well that goes down

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I play covers but don't stick to the original basslines as we're not a tribute act slavishly trying to recreate a recorded version. I'm all for constructive suggestions, but I wouldn't take orders to play something in a way that doesn't work as well as my alternative.

[Monkey Steve]

well, I'm sure you're a great bass player and this doesn't apply to you, but for the sake of playing devil's advocate

A mate of mine had to put up with a bass player who basically couldn't play the bass - he was actually a rhythm guitarist who had ended up in the band for reasons too long and irrelevant to go into.  And he wasn't a very good rhythm guitarist either. So my mate, a very talented lead guitarist, would routinely have to point out that the bass player wasn't playing the right lines for the songs., and show him which notes he should be playing, and this included suggesting where he played on the fretboard (although that was more because it was like dealing with a complete beginner)

I've since depped with them and they are actually very tolerant about the bass player coming up with their own lines and interpretations of the songs, but they do have to be in line with what he band is playing, and if you're doubling a riff then you need to get the riff right

So when the not-really-a-bass player spat back that he wasn't going to play what he was told, he was going to play what he had come up with...it didn't end well, and I can't say that I was on the bass player's side in that one

[itu]

I am always open to ideas and suggestions. But the music is the final judge: if the idea works, it's fine.

The ultimate is to reduce everything to minimum. To simplify. And remember legato.

This is especially important to me as our band is 12 persons. In a trio context there would be far more space, there.

[Strawbs664]

I'll always listen to suggestions, even down to where to place my fingers, and have learnt a huge amount from doing so. (Never underestimate the experience of your bandmates)!

I've also come into a practice with a well prepared original bass line to be told "No, we don't like that". In that case, I swallow my pride & go with the majority opinion, which more often than not is right for the song.

It works both ways though - I've made suggestions for drum & guitar bits that have been worked into songs and there are other occasions where I've been given free reign to do whatever I want.

Ultimately, if you're in a band, the song is the most important thing, and sometimes it takes another pair of ears to hear what's best.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Strawbs664

[Teebs]

4 hours ago, BreadBin said:

If my bandmates started telling me which frets to use I'd be taking my bass off and handing it to them with the suggestion that maybe they should play it instead!

I'd be handing them more than my bass to play - it'd be their teeth!

[Dan Dare]

If one is playing covers, there may be limited room for interpretation/personal embellishment, but by and large parts should be as the original. As for someone suggesting me where it might work best on the instrument, I'm not precious about that. If someone has a good idea, I'm all ears. There's more than one way to skin a cat and it's not out of the question that they may know better than me. Being willing to listen is what helps us improve.

[skankdelvar]

If someone told me which frets to use I'd get in my car, go round to his house and park across the entrance to his driveway.

Then I'd shag his missus and when he came home I'd tell him what I'd done and ask him which annoyed him more, the driveway thing or the missus thing.

Whichever thing upset him the most, I'd do it again then I'd resign from the band on the proviso that I'd fulfil any future commitments until they'd found a replacement for me. It's only fair.
 

Edited September 18, 2019 by skankdelvar

[stingrayPete1977]

If you're a band member then all ideas from other members are suggestions to be taken on board or ignored as seen fit, if the person asking is paying you directly then that's different. 

[lowdown]

Good idea, Skank. It might also be worth pointing out to him what position the wife prefered. 

[stingrayPete1977]

2 minutes ago, lowdown said:

Good idea, Skank. It might also be worth pointing out to him what position the wife prefered. 

There's a joke about fingering technique to be made but I shan't. 

[lowdown]

3 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

There's a joke about fingering technique to be made but I shan't. 

Indeed, as well as experimenting, by taking it up the Octave. 

Edited September 18, 2019 by lowdown

[skankdelvar]

6 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

If you're a band member then all ideas from other members are suggestions to be taken on board or ignored as seen fit, if the person asking is paying you directly then that's different. 

Exactly so; context is everything. If the late Mr James Brown had asked me to play something a certain way I'd be 'Yessir, Mr Brown, Sir'.

In other circumstances, not so much, though on one occasion a drummer politely pointed out a flaw in my rendition of a certain line. He was correct and I amended my performance accordingly.

 

3 minutes ago, lowdown said:

Good idea, Skank. It might also be worth pointing out to him what position the wife prefered. 

A gentleman does not tell another gentleman which position the second gentleman's wife prefers. The Duke of Edinburgh told me that.

[yorks5stringer]

57 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

If someone told me which frets to use I'd get in my car, go round to his house and park across the entrance to his driveway.

Then I'd shag his missus and when he came home I'd tell him what I'd done and ask him which annoyed him more, the driveway thing or the missus thing.

Whichever thing upset him the most, I'd do it again then I'd resign from the band on the proviso that I'd fulfil any future commitments until they'd found a replacement for me. It's only fair.
 

and I thought you were just going to sit on his fence...

[oldslapper]

I play an unlined fretless. Not because I’m any good, but just to avoid such scenarios. 🤓

[lemmywinks]

Reply with this:

"When you hit that C# at the end of the 1st verse could you tighten your diaphragm a little as it would really improve your vocal delivery. Also could you eat rye bread before you arrive at rehearsal as it really gives your voice an oaky timbre,"

[CamdenRob]

This is my only Red Line with bands...

You get what I want to play or you can find someone else 😐

I’ll take suggestions obviously but the final decision is mine.

*caveat is that I’m playing in originals bands for fun. If playing bass was my job I’d do whatever my employer wanted.

[Woodinblack]

I am happy to listen to suggestions, especially on a song I don't know, but then they are suggestions, no one would actually tell me how to play it, and then ultimately it would be my choice.

[Bluewine]

I rarely get suggestions on my bass parts and I certainly don't make part suggestions to other band members. We're not that kind of band.

Blue

[Ed_S]

I was recently discussing a new song with one of our guitarists who had written and recorded a scratch demo of his creation with no bass - which is how they normally arrive. I actively wanted to know whether he had anything in mind for my part and his response was that I should just do my thing: "sometimes [...] you'll play it completely different to how I expected it, which sometimes at first may be 'wrong' for me, but when I actually listen... you're pretty much always right!". I was really happy with that as a vote of confidence. Don't get me wrong, I'd also have been happy if he'd told me he had an idea that he wanted me to try and factor in, but similarly I wouldn't expect such an idea to be more than a general notion of feel, and more normally a pointer to an existing song that exhibits that feel.